Onetime Thing
by Midnight Alexis Thorn
Summary: Against his will, he began making hot chocolate instead of coffee. Two cups of it. He walked back towards North Italy's room and paused in front of the door. Should he really? He didn't need to; it wasn't mandatory and no one other than himself would know that he didn't. But...he supposed that it wouldn't hurt just this once. It was just a onetime thing, after all.


Just A Onetime Thing... Maybe

When the Roman Empire fell, countries jumped at the chance to get some of his territory, which included the cute little Italies. A few closer countries jumped to get the small territories, including Austria. When he got there, Spain was already there and had severely creeped out the Northern Italian, resulting in the Italian preferring Austria over Spain. Because Austria didn't really want to have to deal with the grouchy one, he relented and got the sweet looking one instead; North Italy.

He didn't really do a background check on the brat; he didn't care for any of that. What did he need to know about her, anyway? He just wanted the kid for her territory and because she was going to be a maid in his house. Hungary, however, wanted to do a background check on the kid. He had relented and asked about her past. Apparently, a long, long while ago, the Roman Empire whisked away the younger, lighter colored Italy because of her artistic ability and because North Italy was his granddaughter. (If only he knew that North Italy was, in fact, a boy.)

This meant that, over time, the child grew very, very close to her grandfather. However, if this was so, why wasn't the child...Oh, he didn't know, depressed or an angry little munchkin like South Italy? Also, the child was very, very sensitive, someone had reported to him. The child should have been wailing or crying up a storm since the Roman Empire died not too long ago.

Instead, the child smiled and grinned and squealed and laughed. (All very annoying.) There was something off about the child, Austria decided. Did the child just not feel sadness or something? The brat always, always seemed happy. (Even though there were times when the child was easily scared and frightened. Wuss.)

North Italy always wore a cotton candy smile and said and did such sweet things, and dammit, the kid the confused him greatly. After time, he slowly just began to accept that Italy was a generally happy, cheerful, happy-go-lucky person that almost had an inability to feel sadness and anger.

Italy wasn't a bad kid, he decided after the initial annoyance ran thin after the first month or two. In fact, the kid was...endearing, in a way. It was nearly impossible to hate the kid. Sure, there was the annoying imploring for pasta everyday (it was probably a food she was turned on to by the Roman Empire,) but the kid wasn't really that bad otherwise. She was obedient (most of the time,) cheerful, and sweet. And so, he and Hungary foolishly believed that there was nothing wrong with the child and that everything was fine and sunny and emotionally unruffled within the child. Foolishly.

It wasn't until a few months after that that Austria was up late at night. It was perhaps two in the morning, but he couldn't get back to sleep for whatever cursed reason. So, he began walking to the kitchen to make some coffee, passing North Italy's room along the way. He ignored the door and continued walking. Until he heard a muffled, odd noise, of course.

He paused mid-step, staying silent and still for a moment, not quite sure what the noise was. He heard it again; a sniffle. He slowly and silently walked up to North Italy's door and pressed his ear up against it. For a while, he didn't hear anything again. Right before he was about to dismiss it and go off to make some coffee, he heard another noise, slightly louder than the sniffle; a muffled sob. He didn't know why the sound pulled at his heart, but it did. It pulled rhythmically at his heart strings and played painful tones on his heart.

Why was North Italy crying? Perhaps she had had a nightmare? Should he go and- no, it was none of his business whether or not the brat was crying and what was wrong with her. But...if this was so, why did it hurt him so much as he began to turn and head towards the kitchen; his original destination.

He ignored the next muffled sob as he turned the corner and walked into the kitchen. Silence was golden. Against his will, he began making hot chocolate instead of coffee. Two cups of it. He walked back towards North Italy's room and paused in front of the door. Should he really? He didn't need to; it wasn't mandatory and no one other than himself would know that he didn't. But...he supposed that it wouldn't hurt just this once.

He held the mugs in one hand and knocked on the door very, very quietly with the other before opening it. North Italy went stock still on the bed where she laid against the corner of the wall with her knees against her chest, arms wrapped around her legs, and her face stuffed in a pillow that worked as an almost completely successful muffler. "Italy," he called softly as he walked up to the bed. Her little arms merely tightened against the pillow and her legs.

He stopped in front of the bed and placed the two cups of hot chocolate on the nightstand. "Italy, may I sit down?" He asked politely before Italy seemed to nod slightly. "Italy...are you okay?" He asked carefully, feeling odd and uncomfortable since the child wasn't her usual cheerful self. She seemed to think about it for a moment, looking as if she were about to shake her head, but then just nodded. "Liar." He said simply as she stiffened up even more.

"I heard your muffled crying. Now, remove the pillow from your face and sit next to me." He commanded simply, not a touch of emotion within it. Was he going about it the right way? Probably not. Did she remove the pillow and sit next to him like he wanted? Of course she did. She kept her head down the whole while and begrudgingly sat down next to him, little legs hanging off the edge of the bed.

"Now, are you going to tell me what's wrong, or what?" Austria asked calmly and calculatingly as he got up for a moment to turn on the light, dimming it so that anyone on the outside would not be able to see that it was on. "I-" Italy's breathe hitched as she fought to not sob. "Th-there's n-nothing wr-wrong-g w-wi-ith m-m-me-e" her breathe hitched again and she hiccupped at random intervals, slowly getting worse as time went on.

"Right. As if I believe that, considering that you're still crying." Austria huffed, knowing that it wasn't exactly nice of him to do at the moment, but doing it anyway. "Now, here, take the hot chocolate." He said as he grabbed their mugs and handed hers to her. "Thank you." She mumbled quietly, but didn't take a sip. He brought his own to his lips and blew on it to cool it down before taking a sip. Divine as always.

"Now, Italy, what is wrong with you? You seemed so happy today and, well, always. Why are you crying?" Austria asked as he turned his gaze on the small child, watching how her hands tightened around the mug. "I-I alr-read-dy t-told-d y-you-ou t-th-that-t n-n-" she was cut off by the aristocrat. "Italy, do not give me any of that. That is crap and a lie and you know it. Now, tell me exactly what is bothering you." He glared down at her before she looked up in surprise. Crap was the closest thing to a curse word she had heard the pompous man say. When she saw the glare he gave her, she immediately teared up even further.

He saw the tears well up in the corner of her eyes and his expression softened without his consent. "I-" her breathe stuttered to a stop before she regained it again, only to be cut off. "Italy, if something is wrong, you can always tell Hungary or me. You do not have to keep it to yourself and cry about it at night. Especially not at two in the morning. I expect you to start explaining to me." He said simply as Italy's shoulders began shaking with the effort to not cry.

"I-" he interrupted her before she could even start stuttering again. "But first, seeing as you can't stop stuttering because you severely want to cry, cry it out." He said and opened his arms up for her, patiently awaiting the hug and tears that were sure to follow. She looked at him and gaped, shocked that he would let her hug him and cry on him.

"Come on. But just so you know, this is a onetime thing. Don't expect me to help you every time you're upset over something." He huffed, but his eyes and expression were soft and his arms were still outstretched for her. Italy's lower lip trembled immensely before she finally gave in, hugging Austria tightly as she sobbed into his chest.

He hugged her gently to his body and placed his hand on the back of her head tenderly, soothingly playing with her hair. He felt somewhat awkward, but Italy was just relieved that she had someone to vent to and cry on. "It's okay, Italy." He mumbled as his grip on her tightened slightly. "Everything's okay." He didn't know why he was comforting her. If this were anyone else, except maybe Hungary, he would tell them to man up or just ignore it.

"I-" she choked before she just settled on hugging him tightly and sobbing. He continued comforting her, despite not knowing why he was even bothering. After a while, her sobs quieted down into hiccups, then sniffles, then nothing. She had calmed down.

"Now, explain to me exactly what is wrong." He commanded her in a simple tone, not showing disinterest, but not showing compassion either. "It's- I just-" she tripped and stumbled over he words, trying to find the correct way to explain it. "I miss Nonno Rome." Her voice and lower lip trembled. For the sake of her not crying and having to interrupt her explanation, nothing more, nothing less, he lifted her onto his lap and hugged her gently again.

She leaned into his chest and took a deep breath. "I've been around him and with Nonno for a very, very long time. He always protected me, helped me, and was really nice to me. We both had a lot in common. He taught me how to draw and paint really good...and how to act...He always took care of me...He told me he loved me and I really loved my Nonno Rome, too.

"He said that he just wanted to make his empire a little bigger, a little stronger...but I know that it was just his boss that wanted that. He grew weary of war and began getting sick easily and a lot. He would come back home with bruises and cuts from fighting...But then he would still take care of me, talk to me, and reassure me he was fine and that everything would be fine...

"Even when he was really sick and injured, he would take the time to talk to me and tell me stories. He'd asked me how my day went and if I wanted anything...He would always get me whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it...He spoiled me, to be honest...Coming here was a wakeup call.

"But even though he spoiled me with materialistic things, he wasn't a push over. If I did something wrong, he would tell me and sometimes I would get punished...He never hit me, instead, he would take away my favorite toy or something like that. Sometimes he would make me stay in my room for a while...That's probably the only reason I'm not a spoiled brat." She chuckled hollowly and sadly. "I miss him… I love him. Why did he have to leave?" She whimpered.

"Italy..." He mumbled against her hair having no answer at this time for his dissolution. "I can't one hundred percent honestly tell you that everything will be perfectly okay." He said in substitute. "You will always be sad about his passing, and you will always miss him... You will never forget him. And you shouldn't. However, I can tell you for sure that he wouldn't want you to wallow in sadness about his passing. He would want you to stay happy. To keep smiling. Italy, things will get better. Slowly, perhaps, but better nonetheless.

"You aren't alone. Others are suffering and/or are there for you as well. France, Spain, Romano, Hungary, Prussia, I do believe that Holy Rome has taken a certain liking to you as well… and then there's me." Austria said, against his mind, but in sync with his heart.

"R-Really?" She whispered hopefully, looking up at him through her lashes. "Yes." He answered simply. "…Thank you. I feel a lot better, now." She whispered as his eyes and expression softened against his will once again. "It is no problem." He murmured. "Now, I do believe that it is way, way past your bedtime." He said, somehow his own bodily actions betraying him as he smiled.

She smiled back softly. He quickly set to tucking her in. He pulled the sheet to under her chin, and, against his will- He was done with this game. He purposefully kissed her forehead. Her soft smile turned brighter as he did so. He gently pat her head, and went to leave the room. "W-Wait!" She called. He paused. "U-um… Could you stay with me? At least until I fall asleep." She added hastily as she feared the answer to be no.

"Alright," He relented as she scooched over to the other side of the bed. He gently laid down beside her. At first, she stayed to her side of the bed, but when he was near sleep himself, she curled over into him. His eyes popped open in surprise, but then closed again, and he even wrapped an arm around her.

Then sleep overcame the two.

* * *

**I didn't really like my ending. I don't know why, though. Oh, well. I can only hope as an author that you liked it. I didn't really check over it, so if there are mistakes, sorry. **

**Okay, so I may or may not continue this into other little oneshots of Chibitalia being comforted by Austria in other bad times in his life... HRE's dissolution, Germany bombing Italy after Italy backed out of the war, and whatever else I can think of. What do you guys think? Continue it, or naw? **

**Also... REVIEW! REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! Hi, my name is Midnight or Alexis or whatever you want to call me. I am suffering from a drug addiction... The drug I am addicted to is reviews. However, I DO NOT WANT TO STOP THIS ADDICTION, NOR WILL I. So... Review, please! **


End file.
